Paranormal Fantasy published by Ace 08 Mar 22
Once again, we’re back in Lake Silence and the town of Sproing as humans pit themselves against the Terra Indigene, once more seeking to get the upper hand by fair means or foul. Vicky DeVine and the guesthouse she runs are at the center of the action, as a simple night of trick or treat turns into a truly scary night of blood and gore. It’s up to the team of the Sanguinati, police chief Grimshaw, and Intuit Julian to get answers and stop disaster. The others take a hand by closing all roads in and out of the town until the mystery is solved. There is a sense of familiarity as the story takes off, and yet it’s new and different as you get deep into the unfolding events.
Vicky has several guests who have come to participate in Trickster night and more closely observe the interaction between the humans and the Terra Indigene. Not all the visitors are benign, however, and it’s clear very early on that one or more of them are stirring the pot to see what might ensue. When Crowbones, a bogey person of the crows, shows up, it throws the crows who are a part of Vickie’s staff into a scared frenzy.
However, Chief Grimshaw quickly discovers that there might actually have been a costumed trickster, though signs point to the fact that the real deal might also be around. A prophecy from Meg of the Lakeside Courtyard definitely lends a lot of credibility to the danger that might cause the elders to wipe out another town from the map. The bodies are real, however, and both Grimshaw and Julian know they have to act quickly and decisively to identify the true culprits and keep the town safe.
Ms. Bishop does a fantastic job of word building and fleshing out the characters such that what might appear simple on the surface is very complex as the story unfolds. Some of the twists and turns are simple and unsurprising, until the reader is suddenly caught by the treacherous riptide that will catch a person unaware and sweep them out to sea before they can find safe haven. It is definitely recommended that you have read the earlier books in the series to get the full impact of this story.
I really appreciate the power of the author’s imagination and can’t to see where she’ll take her readers next.
Grade: A
Summary:
Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!
Deep in the territory controlled by the Others—shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings—Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble—and that could mean serious trouble.
To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others—and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter.
Other books in this series:
